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L t e e h S s t e e h S .E M A .10 S Y E E N N F Y MT H A .8

(No Model.)

Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

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mic amen (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. MA NNHEIM. SAFETY FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 487,395. a Patented Dec. 6,1892.

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NITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JOSEPH MANNHEIM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SAFETY FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,395, dated December 6, 1892.

Application filed July 7, 1892. Serial No. 439,233. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH MANNHEIM, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a fire-escape which will not mar the appearance of a room or the external appearance of the building, which will afford a safe and easy descent for women, children, or invalids from the upper stories of burning buildings, and which, being once lowered, can be raised again to bring down other occupants of the burning building.

The preferred form of myinvention is illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view of a window in a building to which my invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the invention Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are details of the friction apparatus for lowering the fire-escape. Fig. 6 is a rear view of the upper portion of the window-casing with the back taken off and the lug 37 removed, showing the parts of the apparatus stowed away in the recess provided for them. Fig. 7 is a detail of the folding platform. Fig. 8 is a detail of the expansible bottom to the bag; Fig. 9, a detail of the winding-reel for the lowering-rope; Fig. 10, a detailof the winding-reel for the check-rope.

Throughout the drawings and specification like reference-figures refer to like parts. 1 represents the brick wall of a building, and 2 a window-casing set therein. This window-casing is preferably made of metal and has an ornamental coping 3. This coping is mounted on a swinging panel 3, which closes the recess 36 formed in the upper portion of the window-casing. This panel is mounted on a vertical shaft at, as shown in the detail views. On the lower end of said shaft is the outer portion 5 of the folding platform, composed of the telescoping parts 5 and 6. This folding platform fits into the slot 7 in the window-sill when the panel 3 is closed and unfolds, as shown in Fig. 2, when the panel is swung out. The rope 8 is attached to the swinging panel 3 and when the latter is swung out the rope drops before the window.

In the preferred form of my invention a bag 9, formed of some fireproof material, such as asbestos cloth, is attached to the rope 8 by the plate 10. This bag may have a bottom 11, composed of two telescoping plates 11 and 12. These plates are limited in their motion by the stops 14 and 34 and the slot 13. The rope 8 runs through a form of friction apparatus in the preferred form of my invention, which friction apparatus is composed of the pivoted arm 15, pivoted at 16 to the panel 3 and supporting the roller or pulley 17 on its outer end and the friction-roller 2O at its inner end. This roller 2O may be mounted on a fiat spring 21, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The friction-rollers 18, 19, and 20 are journaled on the panel 3 and the rope 8 runs over and under them and through the guide 22, as shown in Fig. 4:. An additional friction-brake is supplied by the pivoted lever 23, pivoted to the panel at 25 and having the projection 24, which passes through the slot 26 in the pivoted arm 15. To the outer end of this brake-lever is attached the checkrope 27, which passes down through the bag 9, and has its end attached to the windingreel 28, which maybe wound up by the crank 31. The free end of the rope Sis also at tached to the winding-reel 29, which has the winding-crank 30.

32 is an adjustable stop on the rope 8, which is so placed that the rope 8 cannot be pulled up through the friction apparatus beyond a certain point, so that the bag 9 will always fall far enough down to be within the reach of a person inside of the window.

37 is a broad overhanging lug on the inside of the panel 3, which leaves sufficient space between said panel and itself to store away the bag 9 when the apparatus is shut up in the recess 36.

38 is a spindle on which the reel 29 may be placed when the apparatus is packed away in the recess 36.

33 is a projection from the shaft l by which a person in the room can vibrate said'shaft and swing the panel 3 in or out.

The mode of operation of my invention is as follows: In case of fire a person within the room may operate the fire-escape by pushing the lever or button 33 to the left, (looking at Fig. 7,) thereby swinging the panel 3 out into the position shown in Fig. 2. The rope 8 and the bag 9 will be dragged out by the lug 37 and will drop before the window. The person can then lift the window, step on the platform 5, and into the bag 9. The weight of the person pulling on the rope 8 will push the roller 20 up against the rollers 19 and 20, thereby compressing the rope 8 and causing the apparatus to descend slowly to the ground. If on account of the imperfect working of the apparatus the bag falls too rapidly, the operator, by pulling on the check-rope 27, can cause it to descend more slowly. \Vhen the panel 3 is swung out, the reels 28 and 29 fall to the ground, unwinding as they fall. The people on the ground can then seize the other end of the rope 8 and lift the bag 9- again to rescue any other persons remaining in the building. The friction apparatus will evidently present no opposition to the hauling up of the bag, as the tension on the other end of rope 8 will pull friction-roller 20 away from the friction-rollers 19 and 20. If it is desired to bring two persons down at one trip, the bag 9 can be enlarged by unfolding the plates 11 and 12, which form its bottom.

When the apparatus is not in use, it is all. neatly folded into the recess 36, as shown in Fig. 6, the platform 5 is withdrawn into the recess 7 in the window-sill, and the apparatus presents the appearance shown in Fig. 1.

It is evident, of course, that various changes might be made in the details of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

Thus the bag 9 might be dispensed with and any simple form of sling substituted for it.

The platform 5 might also be dispensed with in certain cases. A spring might be employed to swing the paneloutward, said spring being released by the button 33. It is understood, of course, that wire ropes or ropes formed of some incombustible substance are used in my apparatus.

Having therefore described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

1. In afire-escape, the combination of a window-casing, a hinged panel in the upper portion thereof, means for swinging said hinged panel outward, and alowering apparatus depending from said hinged panel when swung outward and concealed behind said panel when the latter is swung back into its place, together with a folding platform located in the window-sill and operated in unison with the swinging panel, substantially as described.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination of a window-casing which has a recess formed in its upper part, a hinged panel which closes said recess, a rope attached to said panel and concealed in said recess, means by which an operator within the room may swing said panel, and a lug which sweeps the rope out of the recess and causes it to fall when the panel is swung out, together with a fireproof-bag attached to one end of said rope, a winding-reel attached to the other, and a friction apparatus by means of which the bag will not descend except when loaded with the weight of an adult, but may be easily drawn up again by pulling on the other end'of the rope, substan tially as described.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination of a window-casing which has a recess formed in its upper part, a hinged panel which closes said recess, a rope attached to said panel and concealed in said recess, means by which an operator within the room may swing said panel, and a lug which sweeps the rope out of the recess and causes it to fall when thepanel is swung out, together with a fireproof-bag attached to one end of said rope,a winding-reel attached to the other, and a friction apparatus by means of which the bag will not descend except when loaded with the weight of an adult, but may be easily drawn up again by pulling on the other end of the rope, and the check-rope by which the person in the bag can control the said friction apparatus, substantially as described.

4'. In afriction lowering apparatus, the combination of the rope, the pivoted arm having pulleys at either end, over which the rope runs, and the stationary pulleys up against which the pulley on the inner end of the pivoted arm presses the rope, substantially as described.

5. Inafriction loweringapparatus,thecombination of the rope, the pivoted arm having pulleys at either end, over which the rope runs,

and the stationary pulleys up against which the pulley on the inner end of the pivoted arm presses the rope, together with the pivoted brake-lever'by which the outer end of the pivoted arm may be depressed, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH MANN HEIM Witnesses:

LoUIs JAHENNING, MAX MONSON. 

